Superior apparatus for cleaning windows

ABSTRACT

An adjustable pole comprising two housings and an adjustable joint that allows for the housings to be oriented at any desired angle. Optionally, the housings can be telescopic. The second housing is capable of receiving an attachment piece such as a fork or attachment head. Preferably, there is an inner tube that is completely housed within the housings and adjustable joint, allowing for fluid to be transported from an attached fluid bottle to the second housing where the fluid is ejected from the pole. The inner tube is arranged in circular loops within the adjustable joint. Preferably there is a handle attached to the first housing that can receive the fluid bottle, and which contains a fluid ejector button that when pressed activates an internal pump to cause fluid to be transported. The user can select a desired angle, housing length, and attachment head to suit the particular cleaning endeavor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S.Provisional Application No. 61/276,244 filed Sep. 10, 2009.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

There are no rights that exist under any federally sponsored researchand development.

BACKGROUND

There are hundreds of millions of residential and commercial buildingsin the United States. The vast majority, if not all, of these buildingscontain one or more windows. There are many benefits to having cleanwindows, including but not limited to a classier and more appealing lookfor residential buildings; a more professional and appealing look forcommercial buildings; a better view of the outside; the ability for moresunlight to enter, which can bring many health benefits; better heatefficiency during the winter; and the prevention of glass degradation.To get these benefits, it is very important for both the inside and theoutside of the window to be clean. However, when the ground-levelwindows are very tall, or the windows are higher than ground-level, manypeople find it either not feasible to clean the outside of theirwindows, or alternatively they find such cleaning to be a hassle and/ordangerous.

Some people attempt to clean their higher windows using ladders;however, this can easily lead to serious injury or even death, such asif one were to fall off the ladder or through a window while extendingone's arms or body or simply while attempting to clean. Other peopleattempt to use extension poles to extend the reach of their cleaningtools; however, such poles can be unwieldy and are limited in theirmaximum range, and thus their use is precluded for the higher windows oftaller commercial buildings, apartment buildings, and even for some tallresidential houses. Additionally, it could be a hassle to have to storevarious lengths of extension poles just so that one can clean theirwindows. Still others attempt to use garden hose pipe attachments andpressure washers; however, such cleaning methods afford less control andprecision, can easily damage glass and other external surroundings suchas wood or climbing plants, and still require a separate means ofremoving the water or window cleaning solution that if left to dry onits own could result in spots or streaking, thus defeating the originalpurpose of washing the windows. Additionally, as with extension poles,such methods are ultimately limited in their maximum height and reach.Furthermore, such methods entail an unnecessary waste of both time andwater. Another deterrent is that all of these methods require the windowwasher to be outside, frequently for extended periods of time in extremeheat and/or surrounded by pests such as allergens or insects. Otherpeople simply cannot invest the time to be outside leaving the buildingunattended, especially in residential cases where there are young orinfant children that need to be watched.

Consequently, many people do not even bother to try to clean the outsideof their windows. Those people who do, rather than even attempt to cleanthe windows on their own, instead hire costly professional windowcleaning services, who themselves use one or more the above-mentionedmethods. For taller building, these methods cannot be used, and insteadit becomes necessary to use scaffolding or to have the window washingperson suspended from a suspension line anchored to the top of thebuilding. In addition to being costly, these methods are very dangerousand result in high risk of death and injury, as scaffolding-relateddeaths and injuries number in the thousands each year. Such dangers havenecessitated extensive window cleaning safety regulations in manyjurisdictions.

Information relevant to attempts to address some of these problems canbe found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,231,683 and 6,601,256. However, each one ofthese, and references similar thereto, suffers from one or more of thefollowing disadvantages: the apparatus is complex and/or expensive; theapparatus is large and unwieldy; the apparatus does not give the usertotal control; the apparatus must first be attached or mounted to theroof in order to work; the apparatus must be somehow mounted to theexterior of the house before it can be used; installation of theapparatus creates risk of injury or death; the apparatus requires thatit be permanently attached or mounted to the roof or exterior of thestructure, creating structural damage or unsightly additions to thebuilding; such devices, even if removed, are difficult or a hassle tostore; the apparatus gives the user only one method, and no choice, asto how they will wash their window; the apparatus cannot be adapted foruse on a variety of types of windows; the apparatus requires externalsources of water or cleaning fluid, or if it has an internal source itis difficult to replace or impossible to replace during operation of theapparatus; the apparatus requires a motor, which can break and eitherrequires costly and difficult replacement or renders the apparatususeless; the apparatus requires a source of electricity in order tooperate; as well as other manifest disadvantages.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an autonomous windowcleaning apparatus that is flexible to the needs and control of theuser, that can be used at any time by any person with ease and comfort,and that can be used safely and effectively at any height withoutputting the user at risk of injury or harm during any stage of its use.

SUMMARY

I have invented an adjustable pole that satisfies this need. Anadjustable pole having features of the present invention comprises twohousings. The two housings are connected to each other by an adjustablejoint, allowing the two housings to be oriented at any angle desired bythe user. Preferably, the housings are telescopic and have releases thatallow for easy extending and retracting. Preferably, the pole isapproximately 1.12 meters when fully retracted and approximately 1.65meters when fully extended, which balances comfort, ease of use, andreach. For storage or transport, the housings can be folded about theadjustable joint for an even shorter length. The second housing iscapable of receiving an attachment piece, which can directly be anattachment head. Preferably, the attachment piece is a fork that canfurther receive an attachment head. The fork allows for limited movementof the attachment head such that the attachment head can lay flatagainst the washing surface no matter the angle at which the twohousings are oriented. Different attachment heads can be used dependingon the surface to be cleaned and the needs of the user, such as a flatsurface capable of holding pre-moistened fabrics, fluid-absorbingfabrics, dust-removing fabrics, or other wiping cloths; squeegees;sponges; mop-heads; brush-heads; broom heads; feather dusters; or anyother suitable cleaning tool. The attachment head is easily removable tofacilitate maximum ease and flexibility for the user. Preferably, theadjustable joint is controlled by a changing-angle button, which whenpressed allows the user to easily and immediately change the desiredorientation of the two housings, even when the pole is in the middle ofbeing used. Preferably, there is a handle attached to the first housingto maximize the comfort of the user. The handle is capable of receivinga fluid bottle. Preferably, the handle would have one or more fluidlevel indicators so that the fluid bottle can be nearly completelyhoused within the handle so as not to add unnecessary length to thepole, and yet the user can still see how much fluid remains in the fluidbottle and whether a replacement will soon be necessary. Preferably,there is an inner tube that has one end residing within the handle inthe cavity space where a fluid bottle can reside, and extends throughoutthe housings, with its other end connected to a fluid nozzle. The fluidnozzle allows fluid to be ejected from the pole. The inner tube from endto end resides completely within the housings, so as to prevent the tubefrom snagging or getting caught while the pole is being used, oraccidentally getting torn or damaged even when not being used.Preferably, the inner tube is arranged in one or more circular loops asit extends through the adjustable joint so as to prevent tearing of theinner tube, entrapment of fluid, or impediments to the pressure gradientshould the housings be oriented at certain angles. Preferably there is afluid ejector button attached to the handle that when pressed, activatesan internal pump that draws fluid out from the fluid bottle andtransports it to the fluid nozzle.

A number of advantages are had by the present invention and embodimentsthereof. One advantage is that the pole can be used to safely clean theexterior of a window from the safety and comfort of the inside of abuilding without fear of harm or injury, no matter how high up thewindow from the ground. Another advantage is that the user can easilyreplace the cleaning fluid even while cleaning the exterior of a windowwithout having to stop what he/she is in the middle of doing and/orretract the pole back inside. Another advantage is that the pole can beeasily and effectively adjusted at whim, even while in the middle ofbeing used. Another advantage is that the pole can be used to clean theinterior parts of windows or even whole windows that would otherwise beat difficult-to-reach angles or require additional tools such as aladder or stepstool. Another advantage is that the pole isself-sufficient and does not require external sources in order tooperate or function. Another advantage is that the user can customizethe pole so as to suit their individual wants and needs. Anotheradvantage is that there is no need for numerous extension parts oraccessories, which must then be stored in addition to the base, butrather the user can select what parts will be necessary for theirdesired use. Another advantage is that the pole can be easily andconveniently stored away after use. Another advantage is that the poleis completely portable and can be used to clean the exterior of windowswithout having to first be mounted to the roof or exterior of thebuilding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 shows a bottom plan view of a fork portion of the apparatus ofFIG. 1 as well as examples of different head attachments;

FIG. 3 shows a partial sectional view of a handle portion of theapparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a partial sectional bottom plan view of a changing-anglebutton portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows the use of the apparatus of FIG. 1 to wash the exterior ofa window while the user remains safely inside the building.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to an adjustable pole for washingwindows. An embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-5. As shownin FIG. 1, an adjustable pole comprises a first housing 12 and a secondhousing 14, which are connected by an adjustable joint 16. Theadjustable joint 16 is comprised of a first hinge part 18 and a secondhinge part 20, which are held together by a hinge pin 22. The adjustablejoint 16 is operated through the use of a changing-angle button 24.Encircling the first housing 12 is a first release 26 and encircling thesecond housing 14 is a second release 28. Attached to the first housing12 is a handle 30. Handle 30 contains one or more fluid level indicators32 and a fluid ejector button 34. Attached to the handle 30 is a fluidbottle 36. Attached to the second housing 14 is a fork 38. Attached tothe fork 38 is an attachment head 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the fork 38 isconnected to the second housing 14 at an attachment point 42 and theattachment head 40 is connected to the fork 38 at an attachment point44. The fork can be removed from the second housing 14 by pressing adetachment button 46. Below the attachment point 42 is a fluid nozzle48. As is shown in FIG. 3, the fluid bottle 36 is screwed into athreaded mount 50. There is an inner tube 52 that has one end extendinginto the fluid bottle 36 and is connected to an internal pump 54. Theinternal pump 54 is connected to a pump spring 56 and when activatedopens a valve 58 and a valve 60. The inner tube 52 extends through thefirst housing 12, the adjustable joint 16, and the second housing 14,with a second end of the inner tube 52 attaching to the fluid nozzle 48.

The first housing 12 and the second housing 14 are cylindrical in shapeand can be made, preferably of a material such as aluminum, but can bemade out of any suitable material such as other metals or hard plastic.Although in the present embodiment the housings 12 and 14 arecylindrical, the housings 12 and 14 can have other shapes such as beingoctagonal, heptagonal, decagonal, and other similar shapes that are notcylindrical but that still are conducive for holding and gripping. Theadjustable joint 16 comprises the first hinge part 18 and the secondhinge part 20, said hinge parts 18 and 20 being held together by thehinge pin 22, so as to provide maximum rotation about the midpoint ofthe adjustable joint 16. Although in the present embodiment theadjustable joint 16 uses the hinge parts 18 and 20, other joints thatallow for rotation and angling can be used such as pivot joints or evena flexible neck joint that can be bent to the desired angle and willstay in that position until sufficient force is used to bend it intoanother angle. The adjustable joint 16 can be made, preferably of amaterial such as hard plastic, but can be made of any suitable materialsuch as a metal or soft plastic. The adjustable joint 16 is controlledby the circular changing-angle button 24. Although in the presentembodiment the changing-angle button is circular, it can be shapeddifferently, such as an oval, a square, a triangle, or any othersuitable shape. As is shown in FIG. 4, when pressed, the changing-anglebutton 24 pushes on and unlocks an inner gear 62, allowing the first andsecond hinge parts 18 and 20 to be rotated relative to each other andabout the midpoint of the adjustable joint 16. When the changing-anglebutton 24 is released, the changing-angle button 24 stops pushing on theinner gear 62, causing the inner gear 62 to return to its lockingposition, thus allowing the first housing 12 and the second housing 14to be stably oriented at any desired angle. Preferably, the firsthousing 12 and the second housing 14 are telescopic, and are controlledby the first release 26 and the second release 28. Each releaseencircles a portion of the housing that it controls, and when twisted inone direction causes the housing to extend, and when twisted in theopposite direction causes the housing to retract. Although in thepresent embodiment the releases are operated by twisting, which allowsthe user to maintain precise control over the length of the housing, thereleases can take other forms as well, such as buttons that when pressedrelease an inner locking mechanism and allow the housings to be extendedand retracted.

Attached to the first housing 12 is the handle 30. The handle 30 iscylindrical and slightly bent beginning approximately at the location ofthe ovular fluid ejector button 34 so that the user can comfortably holdthe handle 30. This also allows the user to keep their thumb on thefluid ejector button 34, and not accidentally press the fluid ejectorbutton 34 when not desired. Although in the present embodiment thehandle 30 is cylindrical, in other embodiments where the housings 12 and14 are shaped other than cylindrical, the handle 30 could be shapedaccordingly. Although in the present embodiment the fluid ejector button34 is on the top side of the handle, in other embodiments the fluidejector button 34 could be placed on the underside of the handle 30. Thehandle 30 is capable of receiving a fluid bottle 36. Preferably thefluid bottle 36 screws into the threaded mount 50 contained within thehandle 30, which allows the user to easily attach and easily remove thefluid bottle 36 by simply twisting and untwisting the exposed bottom ofthe fluid bottle 36. In the present embodiment, the fluid bottle 36 isovular in shape and is sized so as to fit within the hollow receivingportion of the handle 30 without leaving any open space. In otherembodiments where the handle 30 could be shaped other than cylindrical,the fluid bottle 36 could be reshaped accordingly. Preferably the handle30 contains one or more fluid level indicators 32, so that the fluidbottle 36 can reside nearly entirely within the handle 30, and the useris still able to see the remaining fluid level in the fluid bottle 36.This enables the user, before beginning or even during a cleaning job,to know whether a replacement fluid bottle or fluid refill will soon benecessary. In the present embodiment, the fluid level indicators 32 areelongated U-shaped recesses in the handle 30 that begin at the pointwhere the fluid bottle 36 visibly protrudes from the handle 30. Thefluid level indicators 32 can take other shapes and forms, such asrectangular recesses or clear portions of the handle 30 without makingrecesses in the handle 30, or can be placed at other locations on thehandle 30.

The inner tube 52 has one end residing within the handle 30 in thecavity where the fluid bottle 36 resides and continues through theinternal pump 54. When the fluid ejector button 34 is pressed, itcompresses the coiled pump spring 56, activating the internal pump 54.The increased pressure causes valves 58 and 60 to open, allowing fluidto travel through the inner tube 52 until the fluid nozzle 48 within thesecond housing 14, where the fluid is ejected from the second housing14. The inner tube 52 is preferably made of a material such as abendable plastic, and resides loosely within the first housing 12 andthe second housing 14, with enough slack to enable the first and secondhousings 12 and 14 to be telescopically adjusted easily and withoutinterference. As is shown in FIG. 4, within the adjustable joint 16there are a plurality of dugouts 64 in which the inner tube 52 resides.The dugouts are designed so that the inner tube 52 forms one or morecircular loops within the adjustable joint 16. The loops have slack sothat when the first and second housings 12 and 14 are telescopicallyextended, the loops tighten within the dugouts 64, and when the housings12 and 14 are retracted, the loops loosen within the dugouts 64. Thecircular loops prevent tearing of the inner tube, entrapment of fluid,or impediments to the pressure gradient should the housings be orientedat certain angles. The number of loops is based on the maximum andminimum lengths of the telescopic housings 12 and 14. In a preferredembodiment, the pole is approximately 1.12 meters when fully retractedand approximately 1.65 meters when fully extended—balancing comfort,ease of use, and reach—and thus the dugouts 64 form two loops.

Above the fluid nozzle 48 is the fork attachment point 42. Preferably,the fork attachment point 42 is a circular hole that allows the fork 38to be easily snapped into the second housing 14 and released from thecircular fork attachment point 42 when the circular detachment button 46is pressed, to ensure ease of attachment and detachment. As used herein,the “fork” is an intermediary attachment piece between the secondhousing 14 and attachment head 40, whose form and function can differbased on its intended use. In other embodiments, the fluid nozzle 48could be placed at other locations, such as above the fork attachmentpoint 42, in the attachment piece, or at other locations of the pole. Inthe present embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, where the attachment head 40 is arectangular surface capable of holding various cloths for wiping asurface, the fork 38 is Y-shaped and allows the attachment head 40 tomove back and forth about a fixed axis so that the surface of theattachment head 40 can lay flat against the cleaning surface and inaddition will not fall off the surface while being used. The two arms ofthe fork 38 provide added stability for the attachment head 40. Thewiping cloths can be affixed to the attachment head 40 through a varietyof connection methods such as clips, Velcro, buttons, connection slots,and any other suitable means of affixing the cloths to the attachmenthead 40. In the present embodiment, the attachment head 40 is attachedto the fork 38 by snapping into the two arms of the fork 38 at the headattachment point 44.

The invention is used by attaching an appropriate attachment piece orpieces, such as a fork with an attachment head or just an attachmenthead, and then choosing an appropriate angle between the first andsecond housings 12 and 14 for the user's cleaning needs. Then, dependingon the attachment head, the user cleans the cleaning surface usingmovements appropriate for that attachment head. FIG. 5 illustrates anexample of a woman using an embodiment of the invention to clean theexterior of a window 66 on a high-up floor of the apartment building inwhich she resides. The windows of the apartment building are too highoff the ground for other conventional window washing methods to be used.The woman chooses to attach an attachment fork and an attachment headthat has a flat rectangular surface that holds wiping cloths. The womanchooses an appropriate angle using the changing-angle button 24 andextends the first and second housings 12 and 14 using the first andsecond releases 26 and 28. The woman opens the inner window of herapartment's sash window to allow her to extend the first housing 12 andthe second housing 14 outside and upward at the appropriate angle. Thefork 38 allows the wiping surface of the attachment head 40 to lie flatagainst the exterior of the window 66 and prevents it from slipping orfalling off the surface of the window 66. The woman stands comfortablyand safely within her apartment building and holds the handle 30. Thewoman presses the fluid ejector button 34, which ejects fluid from thefluid bottle 36 onto the exterior of the window 66 through the fluidnozzle 48. The woman easily and happily wipes and cleans the exterior ofthe window 66 with the fluid absorbing cloth attached to the attachmenthead 40 by moving the handle 30 back and forth, which creates acorresponding motion for the attachment head 40.

Similarly, to clean the interiors of windows within the building, theuser would simply choose the necessary angle, for example, an anglegreater than one-hundred and eighty degrees for difficult-to-reachwindows such as a skylight or a high-up window that would otherwiserequire a ladder or a stepstool to reach, and use the invention in thesame manner. In other scenarios, such as in greenhouses, where there area multitude of different sized windows at various slopes, angles, andpositions, the user could easily clean the all of the windows withouthaving to ever pause to remove the adjustable pole from the windows ormake any adjustments, simply by using the changing-angle-button tochange the angles of the first and second housings 12 and 14 while inuse, as needed, as the user moves from window to window. For bigcleaning projects, the user would also be able to easily remove thefluid bottle 36 and replace it with a replacement without having topause the cleaning process, simply by unscrewing the fluid bottle 36 andreplacing it with a new fluid bottle while using the embodiment of theinvention.

One having ordinary skill in the art will recognize many of the novelfeatures and advantages of the present invention, some of which aredescribed herein. As the housings can be oriented at any angle, the polecan be used safely and effectively to wash the exterior of a window fromwithin the safety and comfort of the building, and thus there is no needfor dangerous ladders, scaffolding, or wires, no matter how high thewindow from the ground. As the user can stand in one position and cleanthe entire window, no injuries will result from overextension orcontortion of the body. The user can remain inside at all times and doesnot have to deal with outside pests and allergens or intense heat. Theuser can also clean the window at the same time as doing all othercleaning, and does not have to arrange to have any young childrenwatched or taken care of just so that the windows could be cleaned. Theuser does not have to waste money hiring outside professionals to cleantheir windows.

With its preferred construction and materials, the pole is lightweightand inexpensive. The pole is not too complex and is not too large orunwieldy. The pole does not have to be mounted to the exterior or roofof the building, preventing unnecessary risk of death or injury ininstallation and precluding damage or unsightly additions to theexternal structure or roof of the building. By having features such as ahandle, and various buttons for fluid release or angle-changing orattachment release, the pole provides maximum use, control, and comfortfor the user. As the pole can result in a high level of control for theuser, the user will not have to worry about damaging or scratching thewindow, and can maximize the use of their time in cleaning the windows,thus making the task an enjoyable one rather than a time-consuminghassle. The pole allows the user to be extremely precise in cleaningonly a particular area and not accidentally affecting other areas aroundor near the window. The pole can be completely self-sufficient andprovides the user both with a means of washing and wiping the window, orany other means required or desired for the cleaning endeavor, withoutany need for external or secondary sources to function, operate, orcomplete various aspects of the cleaning

The pole allows the user to control the amount of fluid used, so as notto cause any wasteful fluid use or increased water bills. By having aninternal fluid source that can be replaced easily and effectively evenwhile in use, the pole can be used without having to make surebeforehand that there is sufficient fluid or having to worry that thefluid will run out while being used and will have to be difficultly orcostly replaced, or that the cleaning apparatus will have to stopcleaning and that the user will have to difficultly, annoyingly, ordangerously replace the fluid.

The pole can be retracted to a very compact size easy for storage, andcan even be folded to facilitate storage in even smaller locations. Theability to fold the pole also makes it very portable. By having a fork,the attachment head can lay flat against the cleaning surface at anyangle and will not slide or fall off the cleaning surface. Having a forkas an intermediary between the second housing and attachment head allowsthe fork and attachment head to be detached from the remainder of thepole and function as a mini-cleaning pole, with the fork acting as ahandle, which can be used for even more portability or where the userhas to clean a small space where use of the full pole might beuncomfortable or unwieldy. By allowing the attachment head to bedetached and replaced with a different attachment head, the pole canprovide for full customization so that the user can use the pole inconjunction with any appropriate cleaning apparatus head that would benecessary and tailored for various cleaning jobs and functions, ortailor it for use with a variety of window, types without the need formultiple cleaning tools and apparatuses, extension parts, oraccessories.

By having a changing-angle button, the pole can easily be adjusted andcan be adjusted at whim even while in use, so that the user can clean influid motions without having to stop every couple of minutes to get anew tool or readjust the tool to use in the new angle or position. Thepole can be used to clean the interiors of windows that are located atdifficult to reach angles, or so high up that they would otherwiserequire a ladder or stepstool and could be easily damaged were othertools or methods to be used. By having an inner tube that residesentirely within the pole and does not extend outside the pole at anypoint, the user does not have to worry that tube will snag or get caughton anything while in use, or will accidentally get torn or damaged whennot being used or when being put away. Not having to see a tubeextending out of the pole also makes the tool more aestheticallypleasing. By arranging the inner tube in circular loops within theadjustable joint, the housings can be telescopic and can be oriented atany angle without impeding, damaging, or adversely affecting the innertube. By having a fluid ejector button on the handle that can be easilypressed, the user can easily eject fluid from the pole at will withoutneeding to exert any of their own force or pressure.

One having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the presentinvention does not require that all advantageous features and alladvantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of theinvention. For example, it may be advantageous for a user to have anembodiment of the invention where some of the advantageous features areabsent from the embodiment. For example, as just one illustrativeexample, with some of the attachment heads illustrated in FIG. 2 itmight be preferable or even advantageous to not have a fork intermediarybetween the second housing and the attachment head. As another example,if an embodiment of the invention were made where the housings were nottelescopic, there would be no need for releases on the housings. Theadvantageous features are described herein to illustrate some of theadvantages of the present invention over the prior art, but are notrequired in all versions of the invention. Additionally, there are otheradvantageous features that can exist in certain embodiments of thepresent invention.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions arepossible. For example, as mentioned the second housing can attachdirectly to the attachment head without an intermediary fork. Ratherthan just have a single housing on each side of the joint, there couldbe multiple housings with housings within housings, where the housingsget progressively narrower and so are able to collapse into one another.Rather than having a fluid ejector button there could be a fluid ejectortrigger. Rather than have the fluid bottle be screwed into a threadedmount, the fluid bottle could be snapped into place and released with arelease button. Similarly, rather than having the various attachmentpoints allowing for parts to be snapped in and corresponding releasebuttons, the connecting parts could be attached with connecting piecessuch as threaded screws, nuts, or bolts, or could themselves screw intothreaded mounts contained within the pieces to which they are supposedto attach. The circular buttons could be ovular and the ovular buttonscould be circular, or could be any appropriate shape as desired. Therecould be multiple internal pumps throughout the pole so as to providefor greater pressure or enable the fluid to travel across longerdistances. Rather than have the inner tube reside freely within thehousings with slack, the inner tube could itself be telescopic. The forkcan be designed based on a desired function and purpose, such as havingno arms, or having more than two arms, or allowing for multiple heads tobe attached so that the user can create their own combination headpieces. Rather than a removable fluid bottle, other items serving asimilar function could be used, such as a fluid container or one-time ormultiple-use fluid capsules. Rather than have both handles betelescopic, only one handle could be telescopic if so desired. These arejust some of the additional variations that can be incorporated into thepresent invention. All features disclosed in this specification(including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may bereplaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, orsimilar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unlessexpressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example onlyof a generic series of equivalent or similar features. Therefore, thespirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to thedescription of the preferred versions contained herein.

In the Summary and Description above, and the claims below, and in theaccompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features of theinvention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the inventionincludes all possible combinations of such particular features. Forexample, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of aparticular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim,that feature can be used, to the extent possible, in combination withand/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of theinvention, and in the invention generally.

The terms “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are usedherein to mean that other components are optionally present. Forexample, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B,and C can consist (i.e. contain only) components A, B, and C, or cancontain not only components A, B, and C but also one or more othercomponents.

1. An adjustable pole for washing windows, comprising: a first housing having a first end and a second end; a second housing having a first end and a second end, the first end being capable of receiving an attachment piece; and an adjustable joint connecting the first end of the first housing to the second end of the second housing, said adjustable joint allowing the first housing and the second housing to be oriented at a desired angle.
 2. The adjustable pole of claim 1, further comprising a changing-angle button on the joint that when pressed allows the adjustable joint to be adjusted.
 3. The adjustable pole of claim 1, wherein one or both housings are telescopic.
 4. The adjustable pole of claim 3, wherein every telescopic housing contains a release allowing for extension or retraction of the telescopic housing.
 5. The adjustable pole of claim 3, wherein the length of the pole is approximately 1.12 meters when fully retracted and approximately 1.65 meters when fully extended.
 6. The adjustable pole of claim 1, wherein the attachment piece is a fork capable of receiving an attachment head, said fork providing for movement of the attachment head.
 7. The adjustable pole of claim 6, further comprising an attachment head attached to the fork.
 8. The adjustable pole of claim 7, wherein the attachment head is a flat surface capable of holding a desired fabric, such as pre-moistened fabrics, fabrics that absorb fluid, fabrics that remove dust from a cleaning surface, or other wiping cloths.
 9. An adjustable pole for washing windows, comprising: a first housing having a first end and a second end; a second housing having a first end and a second end, the first end being capable of receiving an attachment piece; an adjustable joint connecting the first end of the first housing to the second end of the second housing, said adjustable joint allowing the first housing and the second housing to be oriented at a desired angle; a handle connected to the second end of the first housing, said handle being capable of receiving a fluid bottle; a fluid nozzle, said fluid nozzle allowing fluid to be ejected; and an inner tube for carrying fluid from the fluid bottle to the fluid nozzle, said tube having a first end residing within the handle, extending through the inside of the first housing, the adjustable joint, and the second housing, and having a second end that connects to the fluid nozzle.
 10. The adjustable pole of claim 9, wherein one or both housings are telescopic.
 11. The adjustable pole of claim 10, wherein every telescopic housing contains a release allowing for extension or retraction of the telescopic housing.
 12. The adjustable pole of claim 9, wherein the adjustable joint is comprised of a first hinge part and a second hinge part, said first and second hinge parts held together with a hinge pin.
 13. The adjustable pole of claim 9, further comprising a changing-angle button on the adjustable joint that when pressed allows the adjustable joint to be adjusted.
 14. The adjustable pole of claim 9, wherein the handle has a fluid ejector button that when pressed activates an internal pump contained within the handle, said pump causing fluid to be transported from the fluid bottle to the fluid nozzle.
 15. The adjustable pole of claim 9, wherein the handle contains one or more fluid level indicators.
 16. The adjustable pole of claim 9, wherein the inner tube is arranged in one or more circular loops within the adjustable joint.
 17. The adjustable pole of claim 9, wherein the attachment piece is a fork capable of receiving an attachment head, wherein said fork provides for movement of the attachment head.
 18. The adjustable pole of claim 9, further comprising an attachment head attached to the first end of the second housing.
 19. The adjustable pole of claim 18, wherein said attachment head is a flat rectangular surface capable of holding a fluid-absorbing fabric.
 20. An adjustable pole for washing windows, comprising: a first telescopic housing having a first end and a second end; a second telescopic housing having a first end and a second end; a first release on the first housing and a second release on the second housing, said releases allowing said first and second housings to be extended and retracted; an adjustable joint connecting the first end of the first housing to the second end of the second housing, said adjustable joint allowing the first housing and the second housing to be oriented at a desired angle; a changing-angle button on the adjustable joint that when pressed allows the adjustable joint to be adjusted; a fork attached to the first end of the second housing, said fork being capable of receiving an attachment head, wherein said fork provides for movement of the attachment head; a handle connected to the second end of the first housing where the handle has one or more fluid level indicators, said handle being capable of receiving a fluid bottle, and said handle having a fluid ejector button that when pressed activates an internal pump contained within the handle; a fluid nozzle that allows fluid to be ejected from the fork; and an inner tube for carrying fluid from the fluid bottle to the fluid nozzle when the fluid ejector button is pressed, said tube having a first end residing within the handle, extending through the inside of the first housing and the second housing and being arranged in one or more circular loops within the adjustable joint, and having a second end that connects to the fluid nozzle. 